Writers Festivals
    Canberra Readers and Writers Festival
      The 5th Canberra Readers and Writers Festival on the theme of Icy Worlds: Cool Words and featuring 50 international and Australian authors will be held in the Coorong Pavilion at Exhibition Park, Mitchell, alongside the Lifeline BookFair from 21-23 September. The Schools Day will be on 21 September. More information on authors, books and sessions at http://www.actwriters.org.au/Festivals/festivals.htm
      Anne-Maree Britton
      Director, ACT Writers Centre
      Gorman House Arts Centre
      Ainslie Ave, Braddon ACT 2612
      Tel: 02 6262 9191
      Fax: 026262 9191
      E-mail: director@actwriters.org.au
      Web: www.actwriters.org.au

      The Centre is supported by ArtsACT, the Australia Council, Festivals ACT, the ACT Health Promotion Fund, Pirion Printing, Paperchain Bookstore, The Canberra Times and Mount Majura Vineyard.
    Adelaide Writers' Week
      A central component of the Adelaide Festival since 1960. Writers and publishers come from all parts of the world to discuss writing and books and their impact on the wider world. The week also includes launches of new Australian and overseas titles, literary awards, readings and panel sessions. This biennial event is held in the first week of March in the Pioneer Women's Memorial Gardens and is free to the public.
      Executive Producer: Rose Wight
      Adelaide Festival
      PO Box 8116 Station Arcade
      Adelaide SA 5000
      Tel: (08) 8216 4444
      Fax: (08) 8216 4455
      E-mail: Adelaide Writers' Week
    Association for the Study of Australian Literature (ASAL)
      Annual conference. Held since 1978 in a different city every year. Features Australian writers reading their own work and academic papers. Open to academics, writers, publishers and the public.
      Peter Pierce
      School of Humanities
      James Cook University
      Townsville QLD 4811
      E-mail: ASAL
    Australian Literacy Educators' Association
      Annual. Held in a different state each year. Expected to attract 1000 Association members, parents and teachers involved in language and literacy, from pre-primary to tertiary level. Includes author readings, illustrators' appearances, workshops, presentations, plenary and theme sessions.
      416 Magill Road
      Kensington Gardens SA 5068
      Tel: (08) 8332 2845
      Fax: (08) 8333 0394
      E-mail: Australian Literacy Educators' Association
    Australian Book Fair
      Annual. Began 1992. Trade only. Run by Expertise Events on behalf of the Australian Publishers' Association. Showcases the latest the publishing business has to offer for everyone involved in the production, wholesale, distribution and consumption of published products. The Fair also incorporates the International Map Trade Association Fair and includes other products including CD Rom and new media products.
      Exhibition Manager: Expertise Events
      PO Box 295
      Brookvale NSW 2100
      Tel: (02) 9939 4445
      Fax: (02) 9939 4229
    Boroondara Writers Festival
      Annual. Includes a schools program and illustrators' exhibition. Forms part of a broader literary program of readings, writers in community, placements and special events throughout the year.
      Martin Foot
      Literary Program Coordinator
      City of Boroondara
      Private Bag 1
      Camberwell VIC 3124
      Tel: (03) 9278 4773
      Fax: (03) 9278 4611
      E-mail: Boroondara Writers Festival
      Web: www.boroondara.vic.gov.au
    Brisbane Writers' Festival
      Annual. Eclectic Spring festival. Noted for open and relaxed atmosphere, stimulating conversation, debate and social interaction. Four days of panels, book launches and awards featuring international, established and emerging writers. All events free.
      Festival Director
      PO Box 3567
      South Brisbane QLD 4101
      Tel: (07) 3255 0254
      Fax: (07) 3255 0362
      E-mail: Brisbane Writers' Festival
      Web: www.brisbanewritersfestival.com
    Byron Bay Writers' Festival
      Annual. August. Established in 1997.
      Northern Rivers Writers' Centre
      PO Box 1846
      Byron Bay NSW 2418
      Tel: (02) 6685 5115
      Fax: (02) 6685 5166
      E-mail: Byron Bay Writers' Festival
      Web: www.nrwc.org.au
    Carnivale Literary Festival
      The Carnivale Literary Festival is held in late October each year. A weekend of seminars, panel sessions, readings and book launches by NESB writers.
      Irina Dunn
      NSW Writers' Centre
      PO Box 1056
      Rozelle NSW 2039
      Tel: (02) 9555 9757
      Fax: (02) 9818 1327
    CJ Dennis Festival
      This festival is held every year in early September to celebrate the birth of CJ Dennis in the town of Auburn Clare Valley (SA). Awards are presented during the festival to winners of the CJ Dennis Literary Competition. Focus is on family entertainment, music, drama, poetry and art.
      Julie Cowperthwaite
      Tel: (08) 8843 4293
      E-mail: CJ Dennis Festival
    The Country Festival of Writing (Shepparton)
      Skilled professional authors from many fields share insights into writing successfully. With workshops, poetry evenings and talks.
      The GV Writers' Group
      PO Box 2115
      Shepparton VIC 3632
      Tel: (03) 5821 8217
    Down South Writers' Festival (Busselton, WA)
      Youth and adult festival.
      Jeanette Sangmeister
      Tel: (08) 9754 1591
    Greater Dandenong Literary Fest'
      1 April - 30 June annually. Writers' workshops, meet the author nights, literary exhibitions and public readings in cafes, libraries, galleries and other venues around Greater Dandenong.
      Tel: (03) 9239 5100
      Web: www.greaterdandenong.com
    Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts
      Co-ordinator: Marion Knapp
      PO Box 77
      Grenfell NSW 2810
      Tel: (02) 6343 1284
      Fax: (02) 6343 1203
      E-mail: Grenfell Henry Lawson Festival of the Arts
    Judah Waten Writers' Week
      Run during the winter, the Writers Week is put together by the Whitehorse Manningham Regional Library Corporation to build on the Judah Waten National Storywriting Competition. This community festival aims to continue the work of local writer Judah Waten in encouraging local writers and artists, and to stimulate interest in the written word. Events are held in the Corporation's seven library branches and other venues in the municipalities of Whitehorse. The festival offers readings, performances, workshops and debates facilitated by Australian writers, for writers of all kinds and ages.
      WMRLC Promotions
      Tel: (03) 9890 1005
      Web: www.wev.voc.gov.au
    Melbourne Fringe Festival
      The Melbourne Fringe Festival provides a platform to writers and spoken word artists to promote their work. An open access Festival where the only criteria is the willingness to take a risk. Registration details available in June for the Festival in September - October.
      146 Queens Parade
      North Fitzroy VIC 3068
      Tel/Fax: (03) 9481 5111
      E-mail: Melbourne Fringe Festival
      Web: www.melbournefringe.com.au
    Melbourne Writers' Festival
      Annual festival. First run 1986. Seeks to showcase the art and talent of the writer and enhance the pleasure of the reader. The festival is a celebration of writing and reading, of books and ideas. It involves over 150 writers and thousands of readers over eight days, and includes forums, discussions, interviews and book launches. The festival presents the best of Australia's literary community alongside a comprehensive line-up of overseas guests.
      Festival Director: Rosemary Cameron
      Arts House
      117 Sturt Street
      Southbank VIC 3066
      Tel: (03) 9645 9244
      Fax: (03) 9645 9344
      E-mail: Melbourne Writers' Festival
      Web: www.mwf.com.au
    Mildura Writers' Weekend
      Held annually in July. A highlight is the Philip Hodgins Memorial Medal awarded to a poet each year.
      Helen Healy
      PO Box 3672
      Mildura VIC 3502
      Tel: (03) 5021 5100
      E-mail: Mildura Writers' Weekend
      Web: www.mwaf.org.au
    Montsalvat National Poetry and Song Festival
      Annual. First weekend in December. A meeting of poets and poetry lovers. Includes readings, panel sessions, forums, workshops and open readings, music, book and food stalls. The festival provides the opportunity to enjoy the historic Montsalvat surrounds.
      7 Hillcrest Avenue
      Eltham VIC 3095
      Tel: (03) 9439 7712
      Fax: (03) 9431 4177
      E-mail: Montsalvat National Poetry and Song Festival
      Web: www.montsalvat.com.au
    National Playwrights' Conference
      This two-week annual event is Australia's premier Conference for playwrights and other theatre artists. At the Conference, selected plays are workshopped with leading theatre professionals from around the country. All writers can register in The Studio, an intensive writing workshop and seminar program. The Conference also runs the Student Laboratory and a series of Forums. As a new initiative, the Drama Teachers Studio will be also held. This is a workshop and seminar course that examines the various ways in which drama texts can be read, and deals with analyses of text as performance.
      ANPC General Manager
      PO Box 1566
      Rozelle NSW 2039
      Tel: (02) 9555 9377
      Fax: (02) 9555 9370
    National Young Writers' Festival
      The festival is about seeing how many people we can stuff into the category of 'writer' (like clowns in a mini). It's not necessarily about books, and it's definitely not about drawing lines in the sand between readers and writers. The festival is about ideas and how they are recorded and communicated.
      3/231 King St
      Newcastle NSW 2300
      Tel: (02) 4927 1475
      E-mail: National Young Writers' Festival
      Web: www.renewal.org.au/writers
    NSW Writers' Centre's Annual Writers' Harvest Festival
      A weekend of seminars, panel sessions, readings and book launches by emerging and established writers.
      Irina Dunn
      NSW Writers' Centre
      PO Box 1056
      Rozelle NSW 2039
      Tel: (02) 9555 9757
      Fax: (02) 9818 1327
    Next Wave Festival
      The Next Wave Festival is a multi-artform festival which operates biennially, in every even-numbered year. The Next Wave Festival is dedicated to nurturing a culture of contemporary ideas, supporting the work of a new generation of artists and encouraging young people to engage with the arts.
      31 Victoria Street
      Melbourne VIC 3000
      Tel: (03) 9662 1099
      Fax: (03) 9662 4922
      E-mail: Next Wave Festival
      Web: www.nextwave.org.au
    Somerset Celebration of Literature
      A five-day festival with student and general public days encompassing workshops, readings, panel discussions and meet the author sessions enable people of all ages to meet and hear some of Australia's best-known and loved writers. Appearances by book characters, musical items, jazz concerts and improvisational theatre add to the festivities.
      Bambi Price
      Development Office
      Somerset College
      Mudgeeraba QLD 4213
      Tel: (07) 5530 3777
      Fax: (07) 5525 2676
      Web: www.somerset.qld.edu.au/colf
    Sydney Writers' Festival
      Annual. Main venues located throughout city, including Town Hall and Wharf 4/5 Walsh Bay. Most events are free. Guests include international authors, local and interstate visitors. Includes performances, festival club, film screenings, profiles, readings, discussion sessions, workshops, young people's activities and much much more.
      Meredith Curnow
      Tel: (02) 9566 4108
      Fax: (02) 9566 4809
      E-mail: Sydney Writers' Festival
      Web: www.swf.org.au
    Tasmanian Poetry Festival
      Annual. Held first weekend of October at venues in Launceston. Aims to provide venues to poets and give Launceston people a chance to hear poetry. Friday night open reading session and Saturday night Launceston Poetry Cup.
      Tim Thorne
      PO Box 345
      Launceston TAS 7250
      Tel: (03) 6331 9658
      Fax: (03) 6331 9658
      Mobile: 0418 308 446
      E-mail: Tasmanian Poetry Festival
      Web: www.tassie.net.au/Poetry/
    Word Festival Canberra
      Biennial. Established in 1983. A four-day literary festival comprising panel sessions, workshops, book launches and readings. Held at the ANU and the National Library of Australia. Open to the public.
      Judy Pearce
      PO Box 150
      Lyneham ACT 2602
      Tel/Fax: (02) 6249 7068
      E-mail: Word Festival Canberra
      Web: www.lib.adfa.oz.au/wordfest